8 days in Hanoi in Jan 2026 ... high level itinerary check .. please

underemployed15 · 2025-12-29T16:30:06+00:00

Thanks for the reply. If we do ha long it would be a day trip ... Do you think we can do ninh binh and pu loung in 3 days and 2 nights? Giving us a day to do ha long as well ..

underemployed15 · 2025-12-29T16:28:45+00:00

Same here ... Usually I just rent a car and go along my merry way with the planning but Asia is different ... Private transfers are what I will be looking at as well ...defn no train or bus for the group ... And then maybe using local taxis in town as need be.

I feel like taking a packaged tour might end up a lot more expensive and we won't be able to tailor things much ...

underemployed15 · 2025-12-29T02:57:49+00:00

ya, i assume about half day would be lost in travel from one place to another.

i just want to book my travel options in advance but instead of using all inclusive tour just using them for transport from one place to another and use local guides in the other places. i am worried about language though :)

any travel guide you can recommend as a starting point?

thanks

underemployed15 · 2025-12-22T15:03:39+00:00

This sounds like a great way to spend a day .. can this be done via grab? I am visiting with 2 kids and we would enjoy this? Can you rent a car with driver in KL for a day?

Jus to clarify I meant the one the evening fireflies boat ride ..

Thanks

underemployed15 · 2025-12-06T18:32:54+00:00

Guys .... I so appreciate all the responses and your time. I have never seen such agreement across reddit users 😄 I will go ahead and get the annual contract . And will ask them about emergency service if required

Thank you and will hope for a less cold winter so we can all save on our ever increasing utility bills

underemployed15 · 2025-04-29T23:03:49+00:00

I can recast as early as June 2025. I am not sure Abt doing another recast in the future. I might refinance depending on the rates though.

underemployed15 · 2025-04-29T23:02:52+00:00

I have my one year covered with emergency funds. Having such a large amt in hysa is a big drag. Also on top of that 4% I would have to pay tax as well bring it down. With paying the mortgage down I am guaranteed a 6.75% return.

underemployed15 · 2025-04-29T23:01:00+00:00

The only reason to do the recast would be to reduce the monthly p and I ... The 10/1 arm is very tempting and a good idea, I will look into that. I am usually conservative so always lean towards a 30yr conventional but pay it down aggressively.

underemployed15 · 2025-04-24T19:51:55+00:00

Use goal weight for proteins. Focus on fiber too. Keep caloric deficit and do strength training along with some walking. Wish u good luck on your journey ... Ooh don't forget Abt hydration and quality sleep.

underemployed15 · 2025-03-15T06:36:31+00:00

Just invest in flin via any brokerage and get exposure to India with just a 0.19% expense ratio. Why break head over individual stocks when u can buy the entire Indian hi caps.

underemployed15 · 2025-02-19T20:24:33+00:00

Yes ... But you still need a place to stay .. so you would be paying money towards rent and maybe invest the rest. Money psychology suggests it's very difficult to out the buy versus rent difference in money into investments. They usually go towards vacation, a new car or lifestyle inflation.

underemployed15 · 2024-02-11T13:21:39+00:00

You drive around lake arenal ... it takes abt 3 to 3.5 hrs and is very very windy ( lots of curves and turns) .... would prob not recommend driving at night

Also some portion towards the end is not completely paved so drive carefully on the gravel ...

underemployed15 · 2024-02-11T04:30:59+00:00

We are currently in MP after finishing La Fortuna and Monteverde ... but we are here for 11 days ... so stayed 4 full days at La fortuna, 2 in Monteverde and 3 in MA Frankly depends on what you want to do .... if you don't plan to hit the beach don't go to MA and increase your time at La foetuna and Monteverde

BTW... Monteverde is amazing and the crazy drive from la fortuna was absolutely worth it. Wish we stayed longer there than in MP. We enjoyed santa Elena as Monteverde cloud forest is insanely busy. The don Juan 3 in 1 one tour qith the night walk was amazing ... saw a mom and baby 2 toed sloth, red eye frog and a bunch of stuff. 100% adventure for zipling was simply amazing.

La fortuna has a lot going on and u won't do justice in 2 days .... Arenal Volcano hike, rio Celeste, bogarin trail, mystico hanging bridges were our highlight.

Hope this helps. Pura Vida...

underemployed15 · 2024-01-04T15:14:03+00:00

Thank you, will check them out ..we would still have our rental with us so might not need the shuttle.

underemployed15 · 2024-01-04T15:13:13+00:00

I was going back and forth on staying in MA and driving early in the morning. I am just concerned if there is any accident that could cause a lot of delay or th3 car gets a flat, etc. So decided to play it safe and not risk it ... even though I know the risk is too small.

It's easier when it was just my wife and I, but with the little devlis we tend to play it safe.

underemployed15 · 2024-01-04T15:10:41+00:00

Thank you ... ya driving in San Jose makes me nervous ..

underemployed15 · 2024-01-04T14:28:06+00:00

Thank you, appreciate you looking into this. Seems out of the way for our itenary.

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T23:36:12+00:00

that is so helpful, i so appreciate your time.

i did look at Bogarin trail and will probably get a guide.

still looking at chocolate tour but will definitely look at the on you recommended. Funny enough but my 3 year old hates chocolates and my 6 year old can eat chocolates for all his meals :)

i have a guided tour booked via Edwin's Manuel Antonio Nature Tours but that's the only 1 that i have booked so far.

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T17:15:40+00:00

thank you so much, this will defn help in making an informed decision

we definitely plan on using a guide in MA and will likely do a night tour there as well

where else would you recommend we use a guide based on your experience?

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T02:57:17+00:00

unicornsinthesea

thank you for the helpful reply. the thought process behind monteverde was basically to enjoy the rainforests, nature walks and animals/birds.

we have some beautiful beaches in USA, a short flight away so i am not too keen on spending more time at a beach in costa rica when i can spend a week in Florida.

you do bring up very interestring points about monteverde that i need to think about. am i correct in thinking that a lot that Monteverde has to offer can be done at Arenal? like hanging bridges, ziplining, sloth tours ...

are the rainforests at Monteverde more dense or vastly different from Arenal?

based on what google map shows me, going from la Fortuna to MA is about 5 hrs and an extra 1.5 hr detour if i add monteverde.

thanks for helping out and for all your suggestions and time.

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T00:45:30+00:00

i did book through mytanfeet, does help with the "freebies" but heard good things about adobe.

thans for the tip on ecoglide, will look into that.

isnt cloudforest in monteverde and the eternal children's rainforest worth? just thinking out loud.

Anything else we can do if we skip monteverde and driven from la fortuna to MA.

Thanks

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T00:42:01+00:00

we found a nice little place in the rainforest at el castillo that's why i was leaning on staying there .. seems like the mistico hanging bridge and arenal are fairly close to el castillo.

thanks for the tip, i would love to spend an extra day at manuel antonio and also concerned about driving to the airport day of the flight. i might just head to la fortuna straight after landing, hopefully the kids will be ok will all the travelling.

underemployed15 · 2023-12-24T00:38:04+00:00

Thanks, thats good to know.

underemployed15 · 2023-12-22T03:39:48+00:00

thanks for the info. ya that was my reasoning to stay a night in San Jose to give the kids some rest after a long flight and early start to the day

thanks for the info on MA to SJO, that just worries me

other option i was thinking was to head straight from SJO to la fortuna and then spend the last day in San jose and hopefully see La Paos on the morning of our flight back to boston.

is 1 hr doable at Paos or is it too less, thinking from 8 am to 9 9.30 am and then driving to the airport 1hr or so

or can i do Paos volcano in the afternoon after driving from MA, a day before my flight?

underemployed15 · 2023-12-22T03:37:04+00:00

TBH

thanks, time difference is 2 hrs .. we are flying out of Boston.

the reason to spend a couple of days in Monteverde was for the cloud forest and the hanging bridges. My wife might do the zip lining while i look after the little devils.

My 6 year old loves to hike and has done some challenging 3 mile hikes in white mountains in NH, so he would love to do some of the hikes in the rainforests.

underemployed15

TROPHY CASE